Understanding The Accident Injury Claim Process

Auto insurance companies go to great lengths to investigate and verify claims before settlements. For example, an auto insurance company might hire a private investigator to investigate you after you file an auto accident claim. Knowing what these investigators do can help you preserve your claim's integrity.

Below are some of the ways private investigators go about their work.

They Follow You Around

A private investigator can follow you to confirm that your actions are compatible with your claimed limitations. Say you included an ongoing back problem in your demand letter. A private investigator might follow you to confirm that you indeed act like a person with a bad back.

The private investigator will watch how you walk, what you do, and how long you do them. For example, the insurance company might doubt your bad back claim if the investigator sees you offloading heavy boxes from a truck.

They Scrutinize Your Social Media Mentions

Social media postings can hurt your auto accident case in multiple ways. For example,

• Mentions of late-night partying before a morning accident might show that you were exhausted at the time of the accident
• Pictures of you drinking before the crash might suggest intoxication as the cause of the accident
• Discussions about the accident might reveal your contribution to the crash

Thus, expect the investigator to scrutinize your social media accounts to look for such postings.

They Scrutinize Your Finances Records

A private investigator can also go after your financial records if they suspect insurance fraud. Say you have received several insurance compensation checks in the recent past. The investigator and their employer might use the records to claim you have a habit of filing insurance claims, a telltale sign of fraud.

They Scrutinize Your Driving Records

The defendant's insurance company can use your driving records to weaken your case in multiple ways. For example, the insurance company can use past accidents to claim that some of the injuries for which you want compensation preceded the accident. The insurance company can also use your accident history to paint you as a negligent driver.

Note that even an appearance of dishonesty or exaggeration on your part might hurt your case, even if you have a genuine claim. Hopefully, the investigators won't find anything that might jeopardize your case. Contact a car wreck lawyer to analyze your case and help you figure out how to overcome any issue a private investigator might unearth.